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Boks won’t copy Lions

Date published: August 12 2016

Lions number eight Warren Whiteley said the Springboks will not be adopting the Lions’ game plan for the Rugby Championship.

In the wake of the Lions’ successful Super Rugby campaign where they produced an exciting and effective running game, there was much speculation as to whether Springbok coach Allister Coetzee would borrow Johan Ackermann’s blue prints.

“There isn’t a debate…It’s two different sides. You are talking about a team playing at provincial level and a national side,” Whiteley told TimesLive.

“Yes, we bring confidence to the Springbok side for the style of rugby we have been playing and there are similarities. But at the Boks it’s a step up.

“The intensity and the speed is just on another level. We enjoy that because you want to push yourself and you want to be the best.”